Variable-speed gear.



Patented Aug. 26, |902. H. F. NURTHRUP. I

VARIABLE SPEED GEAR.

(Application filed June 8, 1902.) (N o M o d e l Arrofr/VE THE Ncvws PETERS co. PHmoLrrHc., WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNiirEn rniEs PATENT OFFICE.

HAMILTON FAY NORTHROP, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,936, dated August 26, 1902.

Application filed June 3, 1902. Serial No. 110,077. (No model.) Y

To all whom, it may concer-72,:

Be it known that I, HAMILTON FAY NOR- THROP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Variable-Speed Gear, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in variable-speed gear particularly adapted for use in connection with automobiles, althoughV it may be used in other connections.

The object is to provide a gearing of this character of very simple construction and that may be produced at a small cost as compared with speed-gear embodying toothed wheels orfriction-clutches, the device also op-` erating without the shock in starting and stopping incident to meshing gears.

I will describe a variable-speed gear embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan View of a variable-speed gear embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation and a section on the line a: a1 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates what may be termed the drivin g-shaft, and 2 the driven shaft. Mounted on the shaft 1 are the step-pulleys 8, 4e, and 5, while similar step-pulleys 6, 7, and 8 are arranged on the shaft 2, but in opposite order-that is, the large pulley 5 of the shaft 1 is opposite the small pulley 6 of the shaft 2-and connection is made between the two pulleys by a band 9. The small pulley 3 of the shaftl is opposite the large pulley S on the shaft-2, and these two pulleys are connected by a band 11, while the opposite intermediate pulleys 4 and 7 are connected by a band 12. These bands are prevented from slipping off the sides of the pulleys by means of rods 13, which pass down between adjacent bands and also down at the outer sides of the outer bands 9 and 11, these several bars being con- 5o nected to cross-pieces 14.

1nk the operation of this device it is to be understood that when two opposite pulleys are in driving connection by means of their band the bands of the other pulleys will remain loose or inactive. I provide a means, however, whereby any one of the bauds may be placed in operative condition. This means, as here shown, consists of a take-up pulley 15, mounted on a shaft 16, designed to slide transversely in suitable bearings, and this shaft carrying the pulley 15 may be moved by lneans of a lever 17. The opposite sides of the pulley 15 are tapered outward and toward the shaft 16, so as to form cam-surfaces to be engaged by the belts, whereby the larger or operative portion of the pulley 15 may be passed between the upper and lower stretches of a band.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the pulley 15 is shown as in engagement with the band 11, connecting the pulleys 8 and S, while the other bands 9 and 12 remain slack. Therefore a slower n10- tion will be imparted to the driven shaft 2,

than thatof the driving-shaft 1. If it is desired to make an equal speed between the two shafts, the take-up pulley is to be moved between the stretches of the band 12, thus bringing it taut and in operative connection with the pulleys 4 and 7, and obviously by moving the take-up pulley in connection with the band 9 the shaft 2 will be driven at a greater speed than the driving-shaft.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. A variable-speed gear comprising a driving-shaft, a driven shaft, step-pulleys on the shafts arranged in reverse order, belts connecting opposite pulleys, a take-up pulley mounted` to slide transversely of the firstnamed pulleys, the said takenlppulley having'cam-shaped or tapered sides, and means for shifting said take-up pulley, substantially as specified.

2. Avariable-speed gear comprising a driving-shaft, a driven shaft, step-pulleys arranged on said shafts in reverse order, band connections between opposite pulleys, means In testimony whereof'I have signed my for preventing lateral movement of the bands name to this specification in the presence of lo on the pulleys, ashaft mounted to slide transtwo subscribing witnesses.

versely of the pulleys, a take-up pulley i mounted on said sliding shaft and having in- I HAMILTON FAY NORTHROP clined sides, a lever for' shifting said shaft, I Witnesses:

and Xed rods extending downward between ALBERT E. HOLT,

adjacent belts, substantially as specified. l JAMES O. ROPER. 

